Dummy cartridge component and method of manufacture

ABSTRACT

An inert scale cartridge ordnance component manufactured by programmed machining methods finding wide use as an advertising or informational carrier. The invention is characterised by being made in at least two sections allowing for contrasting finishes and or materials enhancing the appearance of the unit while allowing for low cost finishing methods. Illustrative applications of the unit are disclosed in drawing sheets.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] Applicant claims entitlement to benefit of PPA No. 60/349,896,filed Jan. 18, 2002.

BACKGROUND

[0002] 1. Field of Invention

[0003] The invention relates to safe inert dummy cartridges for suchuses as engraving blanks, housings for commercial art and advertising,and components of awards and displays.

[0004] 2. Prior Art

[0005] Dummy cartridges have long been available for various purposes.First known work in the area of an inert dummy cartridge may be found inU.S. Pat. No. 119,357 (Hobbs), primarily as an inert round forchambering, unloading, and drill. In addition to this usuage, the term“dry fire” “training” often is cited Recent patents in the area for thispurpose include U.S. Pat. No. 5,291,832 (Plummer), U.S. Pat. No.6,189,454 (Hunt), and U.S. Pat. No. 6,223,657 (Proffitt).

[0006] Another use for dummy inert cartridges is illustrated by patentsissued primarily to US Ordnance for the use in testing the cycling ofweapons. In particular, these are fabricated to have the same dynamiccharacteristics—ie. center of gravity and balance as actual propellantrounds. U.S. Pat. No. 3,027,840 (Hannas & Oschell) U.S. Pat. No.2,882,821 (Benson) are examples of this use.

[0007] A combination of the above purposes may be found in U.S. Pat. No.4,450,769 (Moser).

[0008] Another category of inert dummy amunition exists in the form oftraining aids developed to teach troops the operation, characteristics,safe handling methods of various calibers and types of ordnance; usuallythese are models fabricated from a variety of materials including woodand plastics, sometimes full scale, or multiple scale for smallerprojectile types.

[0009] In addition, much “barracks art” exists where actual liveammunition, discarded casings, projectiles relatively undamaged from useare put to such uses as “swagger stick” handles, doorstops, ashtrays,and in large calibers, butt disposal containers and spitoons

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION AND ITS ADVANTAGES

[0010] The principal objects and advantages of the invention include:

[0011] 1. It is one objective to avoid the use of the use of potentiallyunsafe components (portions of live or fired ammunition.)

[0012] 2. It is a further objective to be able to provide economicalshort runs of varying sizes of a more or less standard shapes.

[0013] 3. It is another objective to be able to provide a surface largeenough for engraving information desired by the end user.

[0014] 4. It is still another objective to provide surface finishes thatare attractive.

[0015] 5. It is a corollary objective to provide for ease of applicationof such surface finishes.

[0016] 6. It is an overall objective to provide a component withmultiple end uses.

IN SUMMARY

[0017] The advantages of the dummy inert cartridge component fabricatedby the following methodology include safe raw materials, ease offabrication and low cost despite short runs, the property of ease offixturing for secondary and finishing operations, and the ease ofapplication of the component to a wide variety of awards, displays,advertising items and products.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0018]FIG. 1 is a view of the assembled inert dummy cartridge with anengraving

[0019]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the dummy cartridge body andprojectile, illustrating the screw threads making possible both assemblyand ease of holding for finishing operations.

[0020]FIG. 3 is an assembled pistol variant of the assembly of FIG. 2.

[0021]FIG. 4 is an assembled shotgun variant of the assembly of FIG. 2.

[0022]FIG. 5 is an illustration of the application of the assembly ofFIG. 1 to a deer antler mounting as a hunting trophy.

[0023]FIG. 6 is an illustration of the assembly of FIG. 1 utilized as amounting base for a thermometer on a plane surface or within a cavity.

[0024]FIG. 7 is an illustration of the assembly of FIG. 1 utilized in anadvertising product

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0025]10. Assembled inert cartridge component

[0026]11. Engraving flat

[0027]21. Body, inert cartridge component

[0028]22. Projectile, inert cartridge component

[0029]23. External thread

[0030]24. Internal thread

[0031]50. Plaque

[0032]51. Left deer antler

[0033]52. Center antler mounting boss

[0034]53. Right deer antler

[0035]61. Thermometer

[0036]71. Advertising member

SUMMARY

[0037] The invention is an inert dummy cartridge capable of beingmanufactured in various scales, indeterminate in nature, on very shortruns economically by simply changing a few variables on numericcontrolled machine tools. Of particular note is that by fabricating twomembers which can be assembled, finishing operations are simplified asto fixturing for buffing, chemical conversion, or organic coating. Forinstance, a polished aluminum body (21) may be assembled to a polishedcopper projectile (22), where each component requires a differentpolishing compound, and is difficult or impossible to hold withoutfixturing. Organically applied coatings can be applied to each memberwithout masking.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0038] A preferred embodyment of the invention is shown in the explodeddrawing of FIG. 2.

[0039] A Body, inert cartridge component (21) is manufactured bymachining with numeric controlled program equipment. Dimensions of saidBody (21), can easily be changed by manipulation of machine codeswithing physical limits of the machine.

[0040] A Projectile, inert cartridge component (22) may similarly bemanufactured in an identical or different material as Body (21), scaledin accordance with Body (21),

[0041] Finishing operations, such as polishing, plating or anodizing,dyeing, or painting, chemical conversion, organic coating or otherprocess may be accomplished on separate Body (21) and Projectile (22).

[0042] Assembly into an inert assembled dummy cartridge of FIG. 1, 3, or4 may be accomplished by engaging the external thread (23) into theinternal thread (24) and turning until tight.

[0043] Upon completion of the assembly operation, the assembled inertcartridge component may be engraved on the engraving flat (11) machinedduring CNC fabrication of Body (21), for certain applications. For otherapplications, the component (10) may have for example a Thermometer (61)or Advertising member (71) applied to the flat (11), depending onrequirements. The flat (11) may be of such a depth that it is actually acavity for some purposes.

[0044] The assembled cartridge (10), is then utilized in variousmanners, one such is FIG. 5., where assembled cartridge is mounted withengraving showing perhaps date, hunt, hunter, etc upon a plaque (50),with trophy deer antlers (51,53) mounted by a center antler mountingboss (52), as a typical use of the invention.

CONCLUSIONS, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE

[0045] As disclosed, the reader will understand that an inert dummycartridge component is desireable not only from a safety standpoint, butthat one manufactured at a minimum cost of conversion for various sizesfrom a minium of numeric controlled manufacturing processes enablesalmost custom manufacture of individual units.

[0046] The benefit of ease of fixturing is an outcome of the ability toeasily modify the program and manufacture each component piece,decreasing finishing cost to a minimum, which for simple products oflimited volume, becomes a very significant cost factor.

[0047] Corollary to fixturing advantage, the ability to make componentparts from dissimilar materials, such as copper and aluminum, which takegreatly different finishing operations, is a natural outcome of themanufacturing method.

[0048] In conclusion, the invention may be manufactured in great rangeof size, shape, and material configuration, which is limited only bymachine capacity.

[0049] Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined bythe appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by thespecific examples given.

1. I claim an assembled inert cartridge component in the generallyaccepted shape of a bullet, shell, round, cartridge, or similarappearing article of ordnance of inert explosive nature, assembled fromat least two components, where at least one area of said assembled inertcartridge component is specifically manufactured for the display ofinformation.
 2. I claim an assembled inert cartridge component accordingto claim 1 comprised of no less than two components manufactured onnumeric controlled machine tools.
 3. I claim according to claim 1, anassembled cartridge component where one component of said assembledinert cartridge component is finished by a different process than themating component of the assembled inert cartridge component.
 4. I claimaccording to claim 1, an assembled cartridge component where onecomponent of the assembled inert cartridge component is manufacturedfrom a different material than the composition of the mating component.4. I claim according to claim 1, an assembled cartridge component whereboth components of said assembled inert cartridge component are finishedby the same process.
 5. I claim according to claim 1, an assembled inertcartridge component having an information display area in the form of amachined engraving flat.
 6. I claim according to claim 1, an assembledinert cartridge component having an information display area in the formof a machined cavity.
 7. I claim in combination, a display consisting ofan assembled inert cartridge component and at least one additionalmember being a plaque, deer antler, thermometer, or advertising member.8. I claim in combination, a display of claim 7, where the assembledinert cartridge component has information engraved on the engravingflat.
 9. I claim in combination, a display of claim 7, where anadditonal member is mounted on the assembled inert cartridge component.